Kate Lanyon joined the Sustineo team this month as one of our first Graduate Consultants and we're so chuffed she chose Sustineo as a place to launch her career. Read on to get to know a little more about Kate's motivations and passions outside work!
What drew you to Sustineo?
Since late high school, I’ve been interested in work that seeks to achieve both social and environmental outcomes. This interest led me to Canberra, to study a Bachelor of Development Studies and Bachelor of Environment and Sustainability at ANU. By the end of my five years of study and work, I found that my overall interest in social and environmental outcomes had not changed (though I had realised the world is a lot more complicated than I first thought!).
On a practical level, Sustineo’s work aligns very well with my personal interests, study, and professional experience. On a more personal level, I was drawn in by the values-driven nature of the organisation, and the genuineness of the team members who I had the chance to speak to.
What do you hope to achieve during your time at Sustineo?
Primarily, I hope to play a part in making positive impacts to people’s lives. In doing so, I am excited to develop my skills in working across cultural contexts and learning about how to navigate the messiness of working in the real world. Also, as I am early in my career, I hope to work towards a specialisation within the environment and development sphere.
What has been your biggest learning experience from your career so far?
I’ve been a tutor at the Australian National University for the last couple of years, and a key takeaway for me is that good outcomes rely on good relationships. In the classroom context, this meant developing rapport with my students, showing that I was willing to advocate for them, and building mutual trust. This relationship provided the basis for more open and honest communication and, ultimately, better outcomes for both students and me. I expect this to apply in the consulting context both to my interactions with clients and with my co-workers.
Tell us something we don’t know about you.
When I was 15, I travelled to Brazil with the under 16s national futsal squad. We were quickly humbled, getting thrashed by the vast majority of the local Brazilian teams.
Outside of work, what are you passionate about?
Music! I’ve been writing, playing, and performing music since early high school. I tend to write folky stuff, but I also love jumping on bass to play some classic dance tunes for functions.
What was the last book you read?
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna. I enjoy a bit of escapism outside of work time, and so a good light-hearted fantasy tale is always a winner for me.